more

http://a-cutt-above.blogspot.com/

Six chapters now posted, and 30 chapters have plots written out for them in my notes here at home.

Having a blast. Liking it a lot. Feeling...good about it all.

Pride

Pride - the belief that we can do it ourselves, that we can hold it together, that we can solve our own problems and fight our own fights, that we are strong enough, good enough, loving enough, smart enough, that if we just make a few changes that everything will be all right, that we do not need anybody else's help, and that we especially do not need God's help; or the belief that God expects us to do it on our own, to only turn to Him when we have it all together, when we are winning the battles, when we look good and are dressed right, and that God rewards those who do right, try harder, win more...

And it is all a lie.

The very same sin that was the sin of Satan himself, the father of all that is evil, the sin of pride. It is at the root of every human failure, every sin, every wrong word and wrong action.

God doesn't want us to re-make ourselves, He wants us to present ourselves broken before Him, and allow Him to work in us, doing what we CANNOT do ourselves.

For, quite honestly, every time we try to help Him, we are listening to the voice of the enemy. Every time we try to do within ourselves what only Christ can do, we sin. We show our pride, the very pride that God hates and abhors.

It is no wonder we cannot get it right. We cannot, becasue we are not able to. No amount of struggle on our part can ever make us right, can ever fix us. We are broken.

BUT...

Within that brokenness, if we will come to Him in that place, if we will kneel before Him in that state, and present to Him that broken thing that is ourselves...

He is God. He does what we can never do.

So how come so few of us ever let Him?

Pride.

bad and good

An absolutely brutal display of referee blindness tonigth in the CFL. Horrible call by the officials, cost Winnipeg the win over Montreal. Absolutely no excuse for a call that bad. Everybody responsible should be fired, immediately. Horrid. Shameful. Feel sick to my stomach over it.

On a good note, I made an extremely yummy salad tonight. Greens and spinach mixed, chopped cucumber, a bit of boiled egg (I was kinda "meh" on this part), and a chopped up apple and a chopped up peach. Add extra-virgin ("when just plain old virgin won't do") olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste. YUMMY! Very naturally-sweet salad.

Over at http://a-cutt-above.blogspot.com/ my story site, I have posted four chapters, and things are coming along nicely. I already have the first nine chapters planned out in their entirety (and much more of the story I am trying to tell is there in my head, waiting to come out). For those who don't know, I am mixing fantasy-fiction and religiousity (is that a word?) in ways that I have never before tried to in my writing, and in theory I am quite pleaseed with it. Although the first four chapters speed by without much mention of religion, that aspect of things will pick up soon...So, if you are interested in superhero fiction with a religious twist, check out my stuff!

The Future Unfolds Before You

Many people watch Jack Van Impe on television. There are reasons, after all, that he is known as the world's foremost speaker on end-time prophecy and the events unfolding today that directly influence it and usher it in.

I find Mr Van Impe to be reliable, and very very Bible-knowledgable.

Many people also watch the Fox News Channel and listen to commentator Glenn Beck during his show, The Glenn Beck Show, as well as listening to him across North America via radio. Glen Beck is an unapologetic right-leaning (but not necessarily Republican-supporting) American political analyst, and a born-again Christian. And Mr Beck also talks about Biblical prophecy as it relates to the world today.

Both these men, Jack Van Impe and Glenn Beck, have one thing in common. They both beleive they know who the anti-Christ will be.


Now, I do not listen to Glenn Beck anymore, although I once did. And I rarely listen to Jack Van Impe anymore either. It isn't because of disagreeing with them; it is more like I KNOW what is coming, and I do not feel I need to be reminded of it. My eyes are already opened.


Unfortunately, many preachers and pastors in a great many churches, are NOT preaching or warning their congregations about what is to shortly come. They are grossly failing in their duties.

And, because most Christians no longer read the Bible with any regularity, most people nowadays will not read and study Revelations and look at the news happening all around them and see what is coming and how quickly it is arriving.


Thank goodness for people like Dave Mustaine, lead-singer of heavy metal band Megadeth.

If you want to know what the near-future brings and where the anti-Christ is coming from, perhaps listen to this man's lyrics, penned for the song "Washington Is Next" not more than a few short years after becoming a Christian.


The quiet war has begun with silent weapons
And the new slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid, "Novus Ordo Seclorum"

How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door, oh something needs to be done

There was a king (an evil king) who dreamed
The wickidest of dreams
An ancient mystery no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The Word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The Eighth False King to the Throne, Washington is Next!

Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex, and war, and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault, "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined 'til nothing left is sacred and
The "have-nots" get hooked and have to go to the "haves" just to cop a fix

I am the king (an evil king) who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The Word predicts my future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world leaders are waiting to usher in
The Eighth World Power of modern Rome, Washington is Next!

There was a king (an evil king) who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at the door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

I am a King and I dream the wickedest of dreams
And nobody could interpret
Seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
Oh, that that was, that is, that is no more

There's something at my door
Some ancient mystery
The future tells the truth about the past
I'm the Eighth False King to the throne
I've got you in my crosshairs, now, ain't that a bitch?

Washington, you're next!


Excuse the harsh language therein, but at least Mr. Mustaine knows his Bible and has gotten it right. The eighth world leader will come from Washington DC. And who will this leader be? How about the very man who has pledged to have a peaced treaty signed between israel and her neighbours (and Palestine) before the end of 2011!

Yes, "Washington is next", indeed! The anti-Christ is more than just alive and well, he is already influencing all the decisions made by the European Union. And he is prepared to have that peaced treaty signed before 2012; thereafter comes 3 and a half years of peace, followed by nuclear war and then satan falls to earth and is bound here and enters into that leader and the man then declares himself to be god.

That man is Barack Obama. Wake up, people. Wake up, sleeping Christians. Your time is shorter than you know; turn yourself, and get your hearts right with our God.

And woe to the preachers who are not saying the same...

Truth

.
.
.
.
.
Look at the front page, turn on the tv,
They fire another round at you and me,
Their guns are loaded, they're taking aim,
Nobody told them we're not all the same,
No paranoia, nobody could
Just write it off as being Hollywood,
The innuendo between the lines
Leaves no confusion 'bout what's on their minds.
I won't go underground,
I won't turn and flee,
I won't bow the knee.
I won't go underground,
I won't turn and hide from the rising tide.
I won't go underground,
I won't compromise what the world denies.
I won't go underground,
And I'm not ashamed of the cross I've claimed.
They're taking notes on what we say,
You know they'd like to lock us all away,
Can't stop the movement, can't make it slow,
Persecution always makes us grow.
They got my number, it's no surprise,
I'm here and wearing no disguise,
Bring on the lions and heat up the fire
It's not enough to stop this man's desire.
I won't go underground,
I won't turn and flee,
I won't bow the knee.
I won't go underground,
I keep holding fast till the very last.
I won't go underground,
I will turn my cheek, I will boldly speak.
I won't go underground,
I am not ashamed of the cross I've claimed.
I know the spirit behind this force,
It's not surprising if you know the source,
I pray for freedom for helpless ones,
And I keep standing till the new day dawns.

Too many black sheep in the family,
Too many stones from a house of glass,
They've heard the story, they've heard the lines,
But talk is too cheap to change their minds,
They want to see some vital signs.
Convictions - in the way we live,
Convictions - not a narrative,
Actions speak a little louder than words.
Seen and not heard, seen and not heard,
Sometimes God's children should be seen and not heard,
There's too much talk and not enought walk,
Sometimes God's children should be seen and not heard.
Commitment - no more alibis,
Commitment - not a compromise,
Actions speak a little louder than words.
Let your light so shine in all you do,
With an answer near when they come to you,
Don't let your mouth start talkin'
Until your feet start walkin'.

Somewhere in the darkest night a stranger has lost the way,
Cold wind and a distant light has carried his heart away,
Some say he was one of us, a prodigal gone astray,
But inside he's as cold as ice to the truth that he won't obey.
He won't discern - the point of no return,
In the last daze - the final haze,
There was strong delusion to believe a lie,
In the last daze before the blaze,
They couldn't see beyond their misty trance
To grab the truth and have a fighting chance,
In the last daze.
Cold chills when the Spirit speaks that some shall depart from the faith,
All ends in calamity just when they thought it was safe,
They followed the lies - the fables men devised,
Some say it's a certainty, a sign of the times I am told,
But I weep for the souls of those who will never return to the fold.

There's a higher place to go, beyond belief, beyond belief,
Where we reach the next plateau, beyond belief, beyond belief,
And from faith to faith we grow,
Towards the center of the flow,
Where He beckons us to go, beyond belief, beyond belief.
Leap of faith without a net
Makes us want to hedge our bet,
Waters never part until our feet get wet.
There's a deeper place to go,
Where the road seems hard to hoe,
He who has begun this work won't let it go.
There's a higher place to go, beyond belief, beyond belief,
Where we reach the next plateau, beyond belief, beyond belief,
And from faith to faith we grow
Towards the center of the flow,
Where He beckons us to go, beyond belief, beyond belief.



(thanx to Petra for the lyrics and inspiration - and thanx to God for everything)

serious matters

Pornography is described as:

- creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire

- •Pornography or porn is the portrayal of explicit sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual excitement and erotic satisfaction

- •The explicit depiction of sexual subject matter, especially with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer; The graphic, detailed, often gratuitous depiction of something

- pornographic - designed to arouse lust

- Writing or art or pictures intended to provoke feelings of lust in the reader

- The explicit description or exhibition of obscene literature, art or photography, generally intended to stimulate erotic feelings



A pornographer is described as:


- someone who presents shows or sells writing or pictures that are sexually explicit

- One who is involved in the creation or dissemination of pornography




When I see a Christian woman posting joyfully on Facebook that she is involved in helping her husband to create pornographic photos of young naked women, and I see no Christians stand up and make any comments...how sick has this world become?


The Bible says:

Galatians 5:19-21 -

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Ephesians 5:1-3, 5 -

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."

Matthew 15:19-20a -

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'."

James 1: 14-15 -

"Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Proverbs 6:27 -

"Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?"

Romans 13: 12b-14 -

"Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

1st John 2: 3-5

"We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His Word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him."

Proverbs 28: 13 -

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."



I find it morally reprehensible that a Christian could be so deceived as to believe that something of this nature is either harmless or not important. As a man, as somebody who constantly has to fight against lust, as a man who is constantly bombarded by images designed to lure me away from God and into sin, the fact that somebody I know, somebody who professes to be a Christian, could be helping to create the very images that cause so many to fall into sin...that leaves me speechless.

As I suspected, the man she calls her husband does not have God's love or wisdom within him, not one ounce.

God have mercy, and end this farce, and soon. Before it affects my daughter...

Lord, bring this business crashing down.

residency and other things cinematic

.
.
.
So, I just got home from the movie theatre, seeing Resident Evil: Afterlife (in 3D).

First, let me just say, that going out to the theatre has re-enforced for me that i do not like being around people. Even to go to a theatre, i felt annoyed and uncomfortable having people sitting behind me - it ALMOST ruined my movie experience, and they weren't even doing anything wrong! It's just that i have been alone for so long, with just myself to keep me company, that i find other people, even when i am having zero percent interaction with them, to be a drain on my entire self.

Now, on to Resident Evil...

For those who may not have watched a movie like this, let me explain -

The Resident Evil franchise is not what it seems. This is, what, the fourth movie? It is the franchise that never stops. And it never stops, because it is always amazing.

As far as how this all started...take one first-person-shooter/zombie-apocalypse video game, and make it into a movie. It was as simple a premise as that! And it worked, and worked well.

Take its main star, Milla Jovovich. Before the original movie, she was Milla Jovovich, the eastern european model who wanted to be an actress. The movie took her from model, to actress, and then on to being the world's biggest female action star! I cannot think of a movie franchise where the star of it is more suited for it than Milla is for R.E.

These are not JUST zombie movies, either, people! This is about the end of hope, and the beginning of faith. This is about facing your fears. This is about those people who always do what is right, facing off against the selfish people who choose themselves over others.

And it is not all gore and action. This latest movie actually moves along fairly slowly. It is about the search for survivors, and then tracking down those responsible for betraying them. It is about overcoming odds that are unbeatable, using the human spirit and by sticking together with ones fellow men (or women). There are only about four intense actions sequences that i can think of in the movie.

This is the first of the R.E. movies I have seen in the theatre. With the new advances in 3D technology, I had to go and see this one - I will buy it later on DVD, but i had to see it in 3D first. I like how they use the 3D to enhance the movie, not overpower it with oohing-and-aaahing-type "fluff".

All in all, I liked it a lot. As good as I expected. I'd rate it an 8 out of 10 stars.

You go see it, and you be the judge.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil_(film)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil:_Apocalypse


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil:_Extinction


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil:_Afterlife


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Evil_(film_series)

catching up

.
.
.

Time to catch up on the Baldur's Gate gaming I have done in the last few weeks...







Penelope tells Kaishas Gan what Dradeel said, about the beasts being already among Balduran’s own crew when they landed on this island. She admits it, but said that the beasts did not kill any peaceful people, only violent and dangerous ones. She then takes the Sea Charts from them, forcibly, and then she bites the six, infecting them with lycanthropy (Kivan believe, hopefully correctly, that the only way to relieve themselves of this curse, is to kill the head of the werewolves, who would be…wait for it…Mendas!). Kaishas talks to them about belonging to the clan now. Penelope grows angry and threatens her, but Kaishas is crazy and beyond reasoning with. Her 2nd-in-command, Tailas, does not want the six to belong to the village, and says he has already stirred up the villagers against them and that now they will be killed; Kaishas shrugs, says “I’m sorry about that, then” and runs off with the sea charts to prepare for the voyage off of the island. Penelope (with Balduran`s golden sword) and Kagain (with the silver dagger) go after Tasilas, and massacre him with extreme prejudice (“Oh look, now I have werewolf poop on my shoes, and if that weren’t bad enough, I AM a werewolf, or soon will be…oh, that’s just lovely…” sighs Xan).

Outside of Kaisha’s hut, the six hunt werewolves (who also hunt them). The battles are thick and ferocious, and almost non-stop (hairy, too!). Maralee says that she is on their side, and that there is an underground warren and tunnels that lead to the ship, hidden underneath one of the homes in the village, and she points out which one.

Dradeel is waiting outside the hut where the tunnels start (I guess he needs to use the ship to get off the island after all!). He says that they must hurry up and escape. Into the hut and down into the tunnels (weren’t we just in two separate mines - Cloakwood and Nashkel, remember? - and a labyrinth full of crazy trapped wizards below an island of ice, just recently? Again, we go below ground!?! Sheesh…) the six go. They find their way through, only having to battle two werewolves, and exit the tunnels on the East beach of the island (“Can’t wait to get off Werewolf bloody Island,” mutters Kagain). Ahead of them is the ship the villagers built.

There are some docks, and the ship. As the six desperate, werewolf-infected, pissed-off, island-trapped, villager-betrayed heroes approach the ship, they see Kaisha Gan, stanidn on the deck, and changing into a huge werewolf as she spots them (or sniffs them coming, whatever). “Time to kick the doggy to the shore!” cries Kagain. “Time to…oh, I don’t know…beware the elf’s wrath, you bad, bad dog-lady thing!” half-heartedly shouted Xan, following it with a loud sigh.

Branwen summons skeletons and Xan summons gnolls, and these two groups hit the gangway before the six, blocking Kaisha’s way to get at them; meanwhile, the group barrages her with arrows (Penelope, Imoen, and Kivan), stones (Xan and Branwen), and darts (Kagain) until she falls down dead. Penelope Farhaven shoulders her way past the gnolls and grabs the bloody sea charts from Kaisha’s body. “To the survivors, go the spoils of war,” she said simply.

The voyage back to Ulgoth’s Beard is uneventful (“I didn’t know any of us knew how to sail!” said Kagain. His five companions merely looked at him, and shrugged their shoulders in confusion). Mendas has an underling of his meet them at the docks; he wants to know why the clan is not with them on the boat, and angrily warns them that Mendas will not be happy about this at all. Penelope is getting royally pissed off by this time, and the underling spins and head sback to Mendas’ home mere nano-seconds before her sword plunges through the place the underling had just stood. “I believe,” she said to her companions on the dock, “that we have an appointment with Mendas. I would hate to keep him waiting, so let’s go ‘talk’ to him right away.”

“And right after we kill him, let’s get some ale!” shouted Kagain passionately.

Inside Mendas’ home, he freaks out on the six, but then notices how extremely angry they are – he and his underling quickly turn into werewolves. It’s too late, as Kagain and Penelope have the drop on them with their werewolf-hurting weapons, and the six make short work of the two. “Can you feel that?” asked Kivan as Mendas breathed his last. “The curse has lifted, I am whole again!” And so said they all; with the death of the pack leader, the curse of lycanthropy was lifted from all of them. “Now for some ale!” shouted Kagain. “And a nap,” remarked Imoen with a nod.

Off to the Ulgoth’s Beard Inn, to rest up; Kagain to drink himself silly and then fall down unconscious behind some barrels, Imoen to sleep for three hours then sneak downstairs and snag a few purses from some unsuspecting drunks (Kagain not included) and then go back upstairs to sleep some more, Branwen and Xan to recover their lost spells (Branwen by prayer and meditation, Xan by studying his spellbook), Kivan to fletch some more arrows and then dream fitfully of taking down the Iron Throne…and Penelope to alternate troubled dreams with bedroom pacing.

The next day, they talk to a woman of the village named Therella, whose son Dalton is missing; he signed on with some adventurers from the great (“Not that great,” muttered Kagain. “Not nearly as great as the great underground dwarven cities.”) city of Waterdeep and took off to explore Durlag’s Tower and was never seen again. Penelope tells Therella that they will keep an eye out for word of her son.

Just outside the Inn is a man named Ike, who is selling guided tours of Durlag’s Tower. “Come see the dangerous splendors of the mad dwarf Durlag, who turned his tower into the mightiest deathtrap of all!” intoned the tour guide. Penelope paid for the six of them, and Ike told them to meet him there, and he hurries off. “Why hurry? We’re all doomed!” said Xan after his retreating back. Imoen slapped the elf on his back; “Try to cheer up, pointy-ears; it’s a chance to find adventure!” As she walked away, the rest of the party snickered – there, stuck to Xan’s back, was a hastily sprawled message on parchment, saying; “Kick me, I’m a whiney little elf girl! And spank my bottom - I like it!”

They travel to the area near Durlag’s Tower, arriving there a few days after they leave Ulgoth’s Beard. “Why does everybody keep kicking me?” whined Xan, eliciting more laughter from the group. There, they meet a travelling merchant (“More like a fence for stolen goods,” says Imoen) named Erdane.

On the way to the tower courtyard, the group had to battle first two Battle Horrors, and then two Dopplegangers. They meet up with their guide, Ike, who tells them to “Stop dawdling and keep up!” Ike tells the six that Durlag built a huge labyrinth under his tower.
Into Durlag’s Tower, level one of the tower itself. Level One has four gold pieces, some empty rooms, some tourists, and Ike, The heroic six head to the basement of the tower, where two Ghasts briefly attack them before being killed. A cowering adventurer named Bayard is here; he has been slightly injured, so he stayed behind while the group he was with (including Dalton, whom Penelope is supposed to find) went ahead. Down here, there is a little treasure, three more Ghasts, a few traps, and a secret door leading into the labyrinth below. They vote, and decide to clear out the rest of the tower before taking that route…

Back at Level One, Ike sells Kagain a Wardstone that will allow some sort of passage here, they think into level one of the labyrinth. Right after this sale, a HUGE demonknight appears, and casts a massive fireball spell that kills Ike and all of the tourists (it only wounds Kagain, who has partial magical immunity to fire, and the other five adventurers were off in an antechamber), and then disappears as suddenly and completely as he showed up. Kagain wisely pries off of Ike’s charred body the money he paid him for the Wardstone; “He won’t be needing this where he is going, poor sap,” says Kagain.

The six leave the tower for now, to sell off their treasure with the merchant outside, and to rest up.

Level Two of the tower = dining room, kitchen, Ghasts, and a bit of treasure. Imoen is having a blast here so far; so much loot to find, and traps to disarm, what more could a Thief want! Penelope finds stairs that lead to the roof, but she can hear Basilisks up there moving around. Kagain quaffs a protection potion and goes up the stairs alone, he battles (and defeats) four Basilisks and 6 Dopplegangers, and then comes back down the stairs to Level Two.

Looks like time to go outside and visit that merchant again…

Back inside, they head up to Level Three. There, they are attacked by a Ghost, but Xan takes it down with his spells. Then they meet a Thief named Riggilo, who is looting the place as well; he has a snooty and condescending attitude. Imoen discovers a magical tome, And when Branwen reads it her Wisdom score increases by one point. They leave Riggilo there, and head for the fourth floor of the tower.

On floor four, Penelope meets a Succubus named Kirinhale. Had Penelope been a male, Kirinhale would have overcome him/her easily. As it is, Durlag trapped her here 300 years ago. She wants to be free, of course. Kirinhale is about to attack and kill Penelope in a rage, but then stops and changes her mind; she gives Penelope a lock of her hair, and says that if she can get a male within this place to accept this lock of hair, then she will be free. Mind you, the male will be rapped here forever, but…it is either that, or fight the dangerous Succubus…

Imoen suggests giving the lock of hair to Riggilo. “It would serve that snooty little runt right, now wouldn’t it! Can you believe how he talked to me! Such rudeness DESERVES a gift, don’tcha think? Heya, Penelope, can we give it to him? Can we?”

Penelope, sighing, agrees. Back down a level to talk to Riggilo, Imoen hiding her snickers behind both hands.

“I feel sick,” mutters Branwen. “This is not the way of the warrior-born…”

Kagain replies, “By Moradin’s hammer, shut yer trap already!”

Penelope trades “this nifty lock of nymph hair we found” for a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength.

Back to the fourth floor, where Kirinhale says thanks and then disappears. Imoen finishes up her treasure hunting on this, the top floor of the tower, and they head back down to floor one and then outside the tower to find that merchant again.

And now, back to the tower basement…

…and through Imoen’s secret door, to Sub-Basement Level One!

Right off the bat, there is a nasty fireball trap, which Imoen disarms for them. Then there is a Phase Spider, a trapped bookshelf or two, and a wee bit of treasure. Next up, a room with five Greater Dopplegangers – an extremely difficult fight! A bookshelf behind them holds a “mallet head”, which they wisely take with them.

Next they find a storage room and a forge room, both with traps and treasure. After that, a bedroom and some treasure, guarded by another Phase Spider.

In the next room, they meet four Dwarven Wardens (neither living or dead, whether or not these beings are actually Dwarves, who can say?); each tells a strange riddle that must be solved before passing on to the next level. Both Branwen and Kagain say that the answers must therefore be on this level somewhere. And, in a nearby barrel, Penelope finds the “mallet handle”. Off to the forge, to re-make the mallet! Once completed, they discover that it is a “gong mallet”, used for striking a gong; “Now, if only we could find a gong…” muses Penelope aloud.

They go down a long secret passage, where the six face off against another Phase Spider. Then they find another storage room – and this one has a gong! Penelope uses the mallet on it – no noise is emitted, juts a tingling vibration.

“Ì am fairly certain we just solved our first riddle”, says Branwen.

“I like this place” says Kagain. “Maybe I could set up shop here. Xan, would you mind sweeping and tidying up for me?”

“Doomed; we’re all doomed! And all you can do is joke!” moaned Xan with a spluttering noise.

Another room opens before them next, this one with a big table and four open books set upon it. Penelope speed-reads them; they are all about Durlag and his adventures defeating a demon of the Rift and trapping it in an enchanted dagger. After reading all four, a faint glow comes from a room across the hall. In that room, Durlag’s sword, named Durlag’s Pride, says that it glows with pride because of Penelope reading the books. The sword is fused into the rocks and cannot be moved. Nevertheless, the six are fairly certain that they have solved yet another of the riddles.

Next up is the kitchen, where some nasty, icky Mustard Jellies reside, attacking the unwary. Then it is on to another bedroom, where a Skeletal Warrior awaits. Immune to swords and normal missile damage, this one is a bad-boy! Xan summons Gnolls, but the Skeletal Warrior casts a fireball spell and destroys them all (plus half-kills the six heroes). Penelope ignores the burning pain, and launches acid arrows at him. The others quaff healing potions, and Branwen summons skeletons; as they join the fray, Penelope gulps a healing potion and everybody fires their best arrows, and the Skeletal Warrior finally falls!

On to another bedroom, this one with some treasure in it, including some +3 Plate Mail that goes to Kagain, lowering him to a -6 Armour Class! Also, Imoen finds some “glowing grapes”, and a drawer that is locked and cannot be picked (or bashed, or spelled) open…

As Imoen checks out the next passageway, she encounters a Flesh Golem, which she and Penelope take down. From a room down the hallway, a Skeletal Warrior starts towards them. The two hurry back to the bedroom, where Xan summons Wardogs to slow the enemy attacker down, and then all six companions let him have it with arrows, stones, and darts until he is defeated.

Imoen and Penelope take down another Flesh Golem, as they enter a room with lots of training equipment, like a medieval gymnasium.

Another passageway, another Skeletal Warrior. After that, a treasure room; in here, Imoen finds a key and uses it to open the locked drawer in the bedroom, revealing a piece of a switch for an engine of some sort…She also finds a “Glittering Beljuril Gemstone”…

Pockets bulging with treasure, it’s time for the six to make a few trips topside…

Back in the treasure room the next day, they go through it and out the other side, ending up in the Machine Room, where a plaque tells them that this is the apparatus that powers the machine that makes wine; basically, it is a huge generator that runs a wine-making machine. Penelope attaches the piece to the switch, and starts it up…

Back they go to the gymnasium room, through it and into another room that has a machine for making grapes into wine. Penelope uses the glowing grapes they have been carrying around, and after a short wait they have a bottle of wine!

“And so ends the third riddle. Let’s hurry up and be done with this cursed place,” says Branwen.

“Doooooomed…” says Mr. Cheerful himself.

“Perhaps that Beljuril Gem is the answer to the last riddle,” suggests a thoughtful Kivan.

They go back and talk to the four dwarven wardens; apparently, the riddles have all been solved. Now, the four wardens turn into four very strong, very nasty, and rather evil warriors (two fighters, a back-stabbing assassin, and a powerful mage), and they attack the heroes. The four survive the battle, barely, all except for Kivan, who has fallen and cannot be revived (turned magically to stone, and then shattered into a million pieces). From the bodies, the survivors recover the Wardstone that lets them pass down to Sublevel 2.

Grieving heavily, they head topside. The five will need a new companion before they go down any further…

Leaving the area entirely, Penelope Farhaven and friends head to the farmlands south of Baldur’s Gate. There they again find the Paladin, Ajantis, still waiting by the side of the road. A human male, Ajantis is a Squire-Paladin of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, serving under the deity Helm. Ajantis comes from the great city of Waterdeep, where he has studied swordplay under the tutelage of some great masters. He is on a mission here, to bring order to the Sword Coast; once done, he’ll return to Waterdeep and be made a full Paladin.

Once Ajantis agrees to join, the six make a side-trip to High Hedge and Beregost to stock up on supplies and whatnots. “You can never have too many whatnots,” exclaims the always-chipper Imoen.

Back to Durlag’s Tower, where they descend the stairs to Sublevel 2, and are once again in a small room with books laying on the ground. As Ajantis says, “This place has a stench of evil about it.” Yeah, no kidding. The six pick up the books and read more about Durlag, his life and his adventures.

The next room has some treasures, and some statues. The statues have grooves beneath them, or at least two of them do. Ajantis moves one, and the sound of a stone door opening is heard. Back to the first small room, where a door is now opened that leads into a bedroom. There is a chest in the middle of the room; they send in Kagain and his Boots of Speed to check it out, and then send in the three bowmen too (Penelope, Imoen, and Ajantis). Kagain opens the chest, which holds the Islanne Wardstone; Durlag suddenly appears, but he is really a Doppleganger, and he launches a fireball at the heroes and then attacks. The four take him down, hard. The passage the Doppleganger came through holds another book about Durlag, and the passage itself leads back to the statue room. Branwen and Xan join the four back in the bedroom. Also in this room is a closet full of treasure, and 2 more wardstones; when Penelope picks them up, they can all hear another stone door opening somewhere nearby.

Back to their 1st room, where another stone door has popped open. Imoen senses many traps that way, though, and Ajantis feels the cold shiver of evil. “That way is not our way,” he says. Back to the statue room, they move another statue and another secret door appears, but it is locked and cannot be opened. “Dang it! Back to the other way,” says Kagain. “We’re all doo…” starts Xan, but is cut off by Branwen’s hand slapping over his mouth. “Is he always like this?” asked Ajantis. Imoen shrugged and made a circular motion with her finger beside her head.

Imoen creeps into the room, where she quietly and carefully disarms seven traps set into the floor. Three sparring dummies are in the room, and all three have a slight magical glow. Penelope decides that they should place the three wardstones they have inside their chests, and does so. Then Kagian steps in and he attacks a sparring dummy, and as he does so another stone door is heard to open.

Back to the 1st room – where they discover a door to the Throne Room is now open. Kagain dashes in, retrieves a helmet lying by the throne, and dashes back out. Three false Durlags try to stop him, but he is quick and the door closes and locks behind him as he exits the Throne Room. The three Dopplegangers are trapped inside, at the mercy of the Cloudkill spell that has gone off because of Kagain having been in the room. After a while, Kagain whacks the practise dummy again and re-opens the door to the Throne Room. Branwen bars the door with summoned skeletons, and Xan launches three fireballs into the room, killing two of the Dopplegangers. Penelope, Ajantis, and Imoen pummel the remaining one with arrows while Kagain take shim on head-to-head with his axe, and the last Doppleganger in this room falls.

Nearby is a torture chamber with many traps. Also, the Switch Room, with many switches on the wall. Imoen manipulates the switches, opening (hopefully) all of the doors on this level. Back to the torture room. The helmet that Kagain picked up earlier is Kiel’s helmet (Kiel the son of Durlag).

Beyond is another room. First, two Greater Dopplegangers attack, and it is a tough battle but the six manage to take them down. Penelope declares that they cannot carry any more stuff, so they might as well go topside again and visit the merchant.

Back into the “dungeon” of Durlag’s Tower, and to the room just beyond the torture chamber. This room is divided in half by a great wall that looks impassable. Runes are etched into the floor. There is a pot of some sort, in a niche in the center of the wall, and there is another dusty book on the floor; Penelope picks up the book and reads some more about Durlag (yawn!). Imoen disarms the trap on the pot (“I wonder if this is Durlag’s chamber pot?” snickers Kagain), and inside of it is a “teleportation wardstone”. They touch the wardstone to the now-glowing runes on the floor, and are instantly teleported to the other side of the wall! Nothing else here, so they move on…

The next room has some nasty traps. In a hidden alcove, Imoen finds a trapped statue which holds the wardstone needed to get to Sublevel 3.

Next up is a long hallway with lots of alcoves. And, there are a lot of Ghasts in those alcoves! Imoen creeps down the hallway, looking for traps, and whenever Ghasts spot her she flees back to the safety of the doorway where “arrows fly and Ghasts die; for Helm!” shouts Ajantis.

Next up are some stairs going down; but they are an illusion. A Doomguard rushes out at them from the next room, and they quickly back up into the hallway, summon monsters, and let fly with their best arrows. In the end, they almost lose Branwen and Kagain to the cold clutches of the Reaper, but the heroes manage to defeat the tough little bugger. Barely. “I hope there aren’t any more of those,” gasps Penelope.

“Dang it to the nine hells and back, there’s another one” says Branwen, watching as the lead explorer, in this case Kagain, uses his Boots of Speed to flee away from the Doomguard. This time the six use the “summon monster” spell twice, plus the “summon undead” spell, and this barely gives them time to defeat him before he rushes up to them and pulverizes them like last time.

“Oh crud,” says Imoen, peaking around the corner at the exploring Kagain once again, “Don’t look now, but there is another one of those Doom-Thingies coming straight for us!”

“What!!?!” shrieks Xan, bending over with his legs clutched together like he is trying not to pee his robes.

Ajantis merely states, “Bring on what evil Durlag may; Helm will protect us”.

Question: How many monsters and skeletons can you summon into a single, narrow hallway?
Answer: As many as needed to keep a freakin’ Doomguard from reaching you!

“Once again, Helm has watched over us,” intones Ajantis.

“I like dungeons, they’re neat!” says Imoen.

“Eeep!” says Xan. “I’ll never get the stains out of these robes…”

Penelope wonders to herself what those three Doomgaurds were guarding. She and Kagain and the others creep forward...aha! It is Kiel’s Bedroom…and a FOURTH Doomguard!

Once again, they retreat and summon monsters like their lives depend upon it (they do!), and survive once again.

Kiel’s Bedroom holds a corpse, which they can only assume is Kiel’s. Yucky! There is also a magic buckler, a cursed Morningstar, and a few potions.

Now, a long twisting hallway; Penelope stops the party hallway down, and sends Kagain on ahead (after Imoen has checked for traps). The sturdy Dwarf pokes his head into a room, and spots 3 Greater Dopplegangers! The three attack him, and he flees back, drawing one with him into a deadly barrage of arrows. Repeat the same twice more, and all is well!

Imone goes into the large room, a natural cavern with bridges across a drop. There is a trapped cubby-hole on the other side with stuff in it, and doors leading to the storage room. From there, the six go to the bedroom and stuff all their treasure into a bedside table, hopefully to be retrieved by them later on. Now, it’s back to the fake stairs, to find a secret door leading to the real stairs to Sublevel Three.

Sublevel 3 starts with a tiny room, blasting innumerable fireball spells within it. They had to time it and run between the blasts through the room, one at a time, and out the door on the other side. Next was a giant maze, complete with traps, Greater Ghasts, and an Invisible Stalker, too! After that, a couple more Ghasts, then four talking statues that told them to defeat the four elements to move on; behind four doors were a Phoenix Guard (fire), an Air Aspect (air), a Fission Slime (slime), and Kaldren the Bear (huge magical polar bear; ice). So, the six managed to kill them all (one by one, of course), and then they were teleported to a chess board, where they were the pieces. They killed the enemy pieces, mainly thanks to Xan’s Fireball Wands, then crossed the board to find the door to Sublevel 4.

In the first room of Sublevel Four, the ghost of Durlag tells them that there is a new evil in this place that they must remove. The six move past him, to the beginning of a long hallway. Imoen finds a secret doorway partway down, and opens it up; it leads into a large, slime-filled cavern. “Smells like evil,” Ajantis remarks. They kept on going straight down the hall, where they found a room with some treasure and the ghost of Durlag’s wife, who offers to send them to the surface; they refuse.

Opening a door, they find themselves in a Forge Room, facing off against two Helmed Horrors! Penelope and Kagain take them on, one at a time, in the doorway with sword and axe, while Branwen and Xan hit them with spells. Like all of their previous foes, these two fall (too). Ajantis takes time out, during the battle, to tell Xan that he is evil.

The forge is trapped, but has lots of good loot in it, including the “bone ward” wardstone…

Off they go, back past the ghost of Durlag’s wife, down the corridor and past the secret door Imoen found, past the ghost of Durlag, over a bridge over a fiery crevice, down a rounded corridor, and…into a room full of (Phase and Sword) Spiders and Ettercaps (and with a huge sinkhole in the middle of it). Imoen disarms the floor traps, and first Kagain (with Boots of Speed) and then Xan (with Fireball Wand) lure them out one by one – to their doom. To the NorthEast is a Stone Golem, which asks them three questions about Durlag’s clan, which, thanks to Penelope reading all of those stupid books laying around, they get correct. The six are then transported to a Riddle Room, with four stone golems in it. One asks them a question about where its pain comes from; after an hour or so of head-scratching, they guess at the answer, and get it correct! Again, they are transported, this time back to the room with Durlag’s ghost in it.

Now they head into the slime-filled cavern, where they are hounded by Greater Ghouls and Carrion Crawlers (some sort of sick relation to the Ankhegs perhaps, they are white, wormlike things with many legs, that shriek nastily and cast Hold Person spells around like rice at a wedding). At last they find a secret cavern where a Ghoul named Grael resides; he says he used to be a Dwarf here, he fought with Durlag against “the demon” (“Oh ho!” says Imoen. “Oh no!” cries Xan, tears flooding his cheeks) but his (Grael’s) name is no longer remembered outside of this place so he is very angry. Penelope and crew kill him, and claim the Compass Wardstone. Still in the slime-y caverns, they have another pitched battle, then find themselves in some trapped hallways. Down here, they discover two rooms. In the first one, a trapped chest holds a flaming longsword (“Flame Tongue” is its name) and the Staff of Striking. Ajantis takes Flame Tongue as his new weapon, replacing Spider’s Bane.

“Slow and steady wins the race; especially through trapped corridors!” noted Imoen.

“Whatever gets us through this death-trap safely, Imoen,” said Penelope softly. “Slow is better than dead.”

“There is no safety...only death...” intoned Xan.

“Were you any more evil, I would run you though with my sword. Your weakness disgusts me, sorcerer!” snapped Ajantis.

“By Moradin’s hammer! Shut yer trap, or I’m leaving all of you here!” said Kagain. “Stupid Durlag...why couldn’t he have built a pub down here, at least?”

“This arguing is not fitting those who are warrior-born,” were the words of Branwen. “More smiting, less empty words!”

Penelope sighed, merely saying, “At times like this, I miss the quiet stoicism of Kivan...”

“You miss the dusty books and the old cronies of Candlekeep, too, I’ll bet!” piped up Imoen with a giggle, before she went back to searching the floors and walls for traps.

Penelope envisioned the departed Kivan sighing and shaking his head, and did the same in memory of him. ‘Time to be done with this stupid tower, before it is the death of more of us,’ she thought to herself. ‘Already, one death is too many to be on my hands; the burden of leadership weighs heavily...’

Me And Mik

Me and my online buddy Mik from Australia are having an 'interesting' conversation

http://www.alphaflight.net/showthread.php?5335-God-Loves-Man-Kills...

over at AlphaFlight.net, all about how Christians are portrayed in comic books. It is interesting, in that we have discoverd that the definition of "Christian", to most people means "Catholic, or Episcipolean church member, maybe Lutheran or United, somebody who goes to church on occasion, or has been to church before, somone who believes there is a God, or amybe somebody whose parents went to church or beleived in God."

It's frustrating to have a discussion about Christianity with a bunch of people who refuse tp accept your definition of what a Christian is; especialy frustrating, since I AM one, therefore I should know!

But the world cannot accept my definition of what I am, because they do not understand it...

We live in a world where people do not even know what a Christian is anymore...in fact, I have met many beleivers who seem to have forgotten that it wasn't going to church that made them a Christian (any more than standing in their garage has made them a car)...

In comic books, if you are shown as a Christian, a true Bible-believing Christian, then you are most assuredly shown blowing up an abortion clinic or leading people in a revolt against gays (or mutants) or people of another race and blowing them up or shooting them or otherwise having very violent tendencies. Basically put, the only portrayal in comics of people with my system of beliefs, is that of a violent, radical, terrorist nut-job.

When I realize things like this, I REALLY can't wait for Jesus to return.

This explains to me why He has to separate the sheep from the goats. He certainly cannot just grab everybody who goes to church and take them to heaven, because probably a vast majority of those who go to church, aren't Christians.

Lord, come quickly.

Yea or Nay...

.
.
.

Reasons To Get A Cat:

1. I'm lonely; companionship.
2. A reason to keep my apartment cleaner.
3. Cats remind me of God's love; never a bad thing...
4. I love cats.
5. I haven't had a cat in several years.
6. Many cats need loving homes.


Reasons To Not Get A Cat:

1. I'm not supposed to have one in my apartment; could potentially get in trouble.
2. Cat litterbox in small apartment - yucky!
3. I only rent - what if it damages something?
4. Small apartment - not a lot of room for two of us.



Choices, choices...sigh...

2 new poetic masterpieces...by moi!

.
.
.
You can check 'em out here!



http://leplaunpoetree.blogspot.com/2010/09/call-she-atones-from-every-street.html




http://leplaunpoetree.blogspot.com/2010/09/farmville-is-anti-christ.html


Enjoy!

Baldur's Gate update, anyone?

So, when last we left our group of six heroes (* see next paragraph), they had finished slaughtering the bandit camp (learning that the bandit leader, Tazok, of the two mercenary tribes, was off somewhere in the Cloakwood, where he goes quite often), had bought a really cool cloak (Robes of the Neutral Arch-Magi) for Xan from High Hedge, and were about to go and track down this Tazok character!

The six heroes, of course, are; Penelope Farhaven, the half-eleven female Ranger who was raised by her foster-father, the now deceased scholar and Wizard Gorion, in Candlekeep; Imoen, the human female Thief who was also raised by her foster-father, the Innkeeper whose name escapes me right now ("Winthrop"!), in Candlekeep, and was for all intents and purposes Penelope’s sister, they were so close; Branwen, the human female Battle-Cleric whose goddess-granted battle spells have come in handy since Penelope rescued her from a lifetime spent as a statue in the Nashkel Carnival; Kivan, the male elf who is also a Ranger, who wants revenge on the bandits for killing his wife; Kagain, the (sometimes) drunken male dwarf, a Fighter who started out as a caravan-supplier but who all but lost his business due to the bandit raids; and finally, Xan, the mostly morose and depressed male elf Wizard.

Entering the huge Cloakwood (which is a very large forest, named, appropriately enough, the Cloakwood – appropriate for a wood named Cloakwood to be called the Cloakwood, don’t you think?), the party killed a group of tasloi that attacked them, one of which had a Cloak of Magical Non-Detection. They then killed some wolves (yummy – good eating!). Then the six sided with some rich hunters from Baldur’s Gate in a disagreement with some uppity druids who wanted to kill them – had to waste the four druids, unfortunately. Thank goodness Jaheira is no longer part of their group (I wonder how she is doing, down in the lowest level caves of the Nashkel Mines where they left her?)! Next, they met Coran, a male Fighter/Thief who is hunting the dangerous wyverns. He wanted to join with them, but Penelope told him they were full up, and the six pushed on.

They travelled back to Beregost to rest. Officer Vai has just received orders to return to Baldur’s Gate. She thanks the six heroes for their heroic and valiant efforts against the bandits.

Back in the Cloakwood forest, a man named Tiber tells a tale of how he and his brother were going to clear out the ‘giant-spider colony’ in the forest with the sword “Spider’s Bane” that his brother found. The brother, Chelak, has now been missing somewhere in the woods for a week.

The six heroes tracked down the spider’s lair and defeated the Spider Queen (yuck!) and her minions. After returning Chelak’s body to Tiber (who told them to keep the magic sword, which Kivan gladly did), they returned to the nearest temple, at the Friendly Arm Inn, to revive the deceased Branwen and rest up ("Oh, my aching head!" declares Branwen. "Is it still on my body?").

Back in the massive Cloakwood forest, some stupid Bard named Eldoth wants to join them; but, he is so busy bragging about himself that Penelope insults him and the heroes walk away. They cross a wooden bridge, there to meet a Druid of this forest called Laskal (the Druid, not the forest – this is the Cloakwood, remember? It is appropriately named the Cloakwood, which is appropriate based upon the fact that this is, after all, the Cloakwood forest). He (that’s Laskal the Druid, NOT the Cloakwood forest – it would be presumptuous to think that the Cloakwood forest is a ‘he’, wouldn’t it?), too (meaning, as well as the six heroes), hates the Iron Throne, and tells us their fort is located to the East.

They soon meet another Druid, named Izefia. He has a big attitude problem. Izefia tells the six of an ‘infidel’ in a cave to the NE, and commands them to deal with him. The six go into the cave, and are attacked by Peter of the North; he is a wyvern-trainer working for the Iron Throne, and the two ferocious beasts attack them as well. The wyverns were to be used in the mines here in the Cloakwood (so says Peter before he is killed, along with his deadly pets).

Back out of the cave (back outside, that is; not meaning to say that the heroes backed out of the cave, there was plenty of room to turn around, after all!), two more Druids confronted the party of adventurers, wanting to know just why Penelope and friends are here in the woods. Luckily, the Druids approve of their campaign against the bandits. The Druid Faldorn wishes to join them, but they refuse the offer.

Continuing on to the East, eventually they find the Cloakwood Mines. The Cloakwood Mines entrance is surrounded by a small wooden fortress, which in turn is surrounded itself by a high wooden wall, allowing only one narrow way in; a perfect deathtrap. The six, led by the always heroic (and stunningly stunning, lol) Penelope Farhaven, Ranger extraordinaire and heroic adventurer supreme, fight off a few guards topside, and then face off against and annihilate four tough adventurers who evidently were hired specifically to keep the six away.

Into the mines they go!

On the 1st level of the mine, along with a few guards, they discover many slaves, people who were kidnapped from wagon caravans and such; it seems that the Iron Throne is working these mines so that they have plenty of good ore to turn into weapons to sell when Amn and Baldur’s Gate go to war (with each other, not together)!

As a brief aside, after having read the last paragraph, I would like to point out that the guards (together with the six heroes) did not discover many slaves, but that the six adventurers discovered both guards and slaves on the mine’s first level - obviously, the guards already knew there were slaves there; the slaves were, after all, the whole reason to have guards there!

A miner shows (the lovely and strong) Penelope a huge metal door that keeps the river from flooding the mine tunnels; if Penelope agrees (and she does!) to free him and the other slaves, and get him the key to said door, he will flood the mines and put the Iron Throne out of business here. A friend of his, named Rill, on another level of the mine, might know how to help the miners all escape. This miner also says that the “master of the mine” (does that make him some sort of clever mastermind/mastermine?) has the key to the door, and apparently he is truly one bad and dangerous dude!

Down to the 2nd level of the mines (seems almost superfluous to have to say “down”, since it is a mine, after all, and therefore is below ground), where they find more prisoners, this time in cages and cells. The six slaughter a Mage, some guards, and a couple of ghasts (don’t you hate it when those things cough all over you?!), but they spare the life of an innocent cook. The six find the slave leader (more of an honorific title, really), Rill, who requests 100 gold pieces to bribe a guard that he knows to let them escape; Penelope gives it to him, but only after giving him ‘the evil eye’ stare to ensure that he realizes how much of a poor decision it would be to run off with her gold and think it funny how he tricked the big bad heroic adventurer...

Next, they meet a dwarf named Yeslick, whose people (the dwarves, that is) started these mines a long time ago (more than a week ago, but less than a billion years ago). Yeslick wishes to join the squad, but they refuse him (or do they call him a pile of refuse?).

The next level (which, strangely enough, you have to go DOWN to reach. Also strangely, this next level, following as it does the 1st and 2nd levels, seems to be the 3rd level.) is full of guards (“full” being a silly word to use, as there is still room to walk around and swing ones arms, or sword), hobgoblin (not goblins with a limp, but much bigger goblins with semi-more intelligence) archers, a Wizard named Natasha (hey, she’s cute! - for a evil, occultist, death-dealer, that is), and an ogre Mage who is in charge of slave torturing. They all die (dang it! Sorry, Natasha, my love...sniffle sniff...).

On to the next (4th) level of the Cloakwood Mines. Here they encounter the “mastermine, keeper of the mine” (why does he want to ‘keep’ the mines, exactly?), Davaeorn. Ol’ Davaeorn kept teleporting around, which was pretty dang annoying; Kagain kept yelling at him to “stand still, confoundablast it, so’s I can hit ya”. Eventually, with patience and persistence, the six killed him. His apprentice spills his guts (verbally, not literally), hoping to save his own life (“what’s the point, it’s hopeless...” sighed Xan), filling them in on the fact that the Iron Throne organization are headquartered in Baldur’s Gate, and that there are three regional leaders there in the SW portion of the city. Penelope digested this new information for a moment (burp!), then lopped off the apprentice’s head (“told you...” intoned the ever cheerful Xan). “Now that’s more like it” shouted Kivan enthusiastically.

The six heroes used Davaeorn’s key to open the metal door on level one and flood the mines (the miners escaped first, of course). After they exited, the slaves thank them for setting them free, then trudged off to go back to their homes. Documents from Davaeorn’s body show “Rieltar” to be one of the Iron Throne leaders, and the name “Sarevok” is also mentioned.

The six head back to the Friendly Arm Inn for some R and R; they are quite pleased with themselves, as they have dealt the Iron Throne yet another blow, and now have the pride of knowing they are the heroes of both the Nashkel and Cloakwood Mines.

After a nice rest (which is always much nicer than an arrest), the six head North. Already, even though the rest was short, Branwen is grumbling loudly about how “warrior-born” people such as herself do not take kindly to resting about when there are battles to be fought elsewhere. Imoen, always the cheerful (and antagonistic?) little Thief, points out that Branwen didn’t seem too “warrior-like” when she was being used as “a bird-pooping platform” in the Nashkel Carnival. After Imoen ducks a mighty swing from Branwen’s magical war hammer (that may or may not have taken off the top of her head), she dances her way back up to the Battle-Cleric and hands her back the purse full of coin that Branwen seems to have ‘dropped’ somewhere along the way. Branwen’s face turns an even darker shade of purple while Imoen looks her full in the eyes and smiles playfully, and the two do not speak for the rest of the day (ah, the joys of travel!).

The six heroic figures have now entered farmland, up past the Cloakwood Mines and the bandit encampment that they previously raided and destroyed to much internal delight. Some settlers there tell them that they are under attack by a Priest of Umberlee (the sea and storm goddess) who lives to the North, and they ask for our help (“I don’t trust them” mutters Kivan softly, and Kagain nods his agreement). They six go into a nearby underground cavern, kill some evil ankhegs (damn those evil, spitting, monstrous worm-spawn!), and rescue an injured person therein. Up top, they meet a Waterdeep Paladin named Ajantis, but do not allow him to join them, despite his pleading (how sad when a mighty and noble Paladin is reduced to begging in the very presence of the heroic six). The injured man passed away, but they returned his lifeless body to his grateful farmer pa.

They find the Priestess of Umberlee (“Oh ho! Not a Priest at all. Already, the settlers’ lies begin to fly...” said Kagain, with his usual dwarven tact), who lives in a home near the bridge that passes over the river and into Baldur’s Gate (the bridge passes over, not the home of the Priestess – have we gotten that all clear?). She (the Priestess, not the bridge or the home or the river) says the farmers killed her mother, and they stole her sacred bowl. She seems young and more than a little scared (“won’t last more than a day, then she’ll be dead...dead dead dead...” intoned the helpful Xan), and the six tend to believe her. They return to the settlers and talk with them. As soon as they admit what they have done, the six slaughter them (Branwen turns a pale shade of white at killing the unskilled-at-combat farmers, but Penelope intones that “Evil is its own reward, and what these people have doled out shall be returned to them, if not at our hands than by another. Better we should let their evil and folly end here, before it claims another victim”, and not much is said after that); they take the sacred bowl of Umberlee from a fresh corpse, and bring it back to the young Priestess, who thanks them and tells them that Umberlee herself will pay them back in time.

It seems it is time to enter the city of Baldur’s Gate and explore its inner workings. As they step foot onto the bridge leading to the city, they get to talking; Kagain and Branwen admit to having travelled here before, although not in a while and not very often. Xan laments that “Surely any city this large is doomed to collapse in upon itself at any second, and we will be just as likely be crushed to death as to do any lasting good in this place.” Kivan shudders as he gazes at the city, and all near him know that as a true Ranger of the woods he wants no part of this piece of civilization. Penelope gazes with pure and unadulterated fascination at the city looming up before her, but is cognizant enough to turn swiftly to the bright-eyed Imoen and remind her sternly to not get them into any trouble by filching purses within the city walls.

Before they can reach the city, while still on the bridge itself, Scar, the second-in-command of the Flaming Fist for Baldur’s Gate, recognizes the six as the heroes of Nashkel (“Oh sure, not a word of the bandit camp we scuttled, or the Cloakwood Mines we eradicated” muttered the slightly-grumpy Kagain, his mouth salivating at the thought of all the inns and pubs within the walls of the city). Scar says that there are many strange happenings within the city, and wishes for the six to investigate things. He asks them in particular to investigate the Seven Suns trading company, as they have been behaving oddly, and the head of the Seven Suns, Jhasso, is not acting at all like himself. They are to break into and investigate the Seven Suns compound, and then report back to Scar at the Flaming Fist compound. Penelope takes a liking to this Flaming Fist officer, as he reminds her of Officer Vai (from Beregost’s Jovial Juggler inn), very straightforward and honest and unafraid. Penelope tells Scar all about the Iron Throne and their dealings in other part of the land, and Scar thanks her for sharing that information with him. He tells the six that the Seven Suns is on the SW side of the city, and that the Flaming Fist barracks are just to the West of it.

They take their leave of Scar and finish crossing the bridge. Just before the gates to the city, there is a bespectacled gnome called Quayle, who claims to be an Illusionist and wishes to join them; once again, they decline, liking the current makeup of their group very much (which is not to suggest that any of the group wear makeup – these are heroes, not the rock group KISS! Besides which, any who have beheld the glorious and radiant beauty that is Penelope Farhaven know full well that her exotic good looks brought by her half-elven - and half-human - unknown parentage has blessed her with natural beauty that makes many a man’s - and some women’s, too - knees grow weak and his lips to murmur “ninner nanny, muh huh huh huh...thbpttt...whoa...” as he drools upon his ‘frock and pantaloons’ in a most unmanly of ways).

The city of Baldur’s Gate, as the worldly Kagain explained to Penelope, is divided into 9 different sections, and is basically circular shaped. The six enter the city by its only gate (that gate should rightly be named Baldur’s Gate, should it not?), arriving in the East section. There, they are blasted by the noise and stench of the large city. They stand still for a few moments to adjust themselves accordingly, Imoen slapping away the nimble hands of a Thief as he reaches for Kivan’s pouch of gold, only to miss the hand that soundly slaps her bottom. She whips out a dagger and glances around, but the mad-groper has already returned to shadows so deep that not even her eagle-eyes can spot him. Penelope turns to glare at Imoen, who realizes she is standing in the city gates holding a bared blade (something that does not help in her trying not to draw undo attention to the party), and as Imoen puts the dagger away and Penelope opens her mouth to speak, a semi-familiar voice declares, “Ho there, child, stay thy course and set awhile. Well met, once again...”

Lo and behold, it is Elminster once again, great Mage and sage and all-around awesome guy of mystery and intrigue! Elminster declares that he was long a friend of Penelope’s foster-father, Gorion, even from before he came to look after his foster child. He goes on to say that Penelope has “bad blood “ in her, and says that we can implicitly trust Scar, as well as his superior, Duke Eltan. He then wanders off, having no more to divulge to them at this time.

The six wander into the nearby Shop of Silence, a store and inn run by a man named, appropriately, Silence. There, they stock up on magical stones for the slings of Branwen and Xan, and then take a rest upstairs.

The next morning, they start to take a look around the East section of Baldur’s Gate. Xan’s eyes actually light up for a second as they near a huge shop called Sorcerous Sundries, but then he mutters “Probably not a thing worth buying, and what is worth it will be too expensive...” with a sigh. “Oh, come on, you gloomy, pointy-eared mutterer,” says Kagain, and the dwarf drags the elf into the shop, the rest of the crew following. The six take a look at what is for sale, then go up the stairs to the next level, where they encounter four very cranky Red Wizards of Thay, who are performing some sort of secret spell/experiment, and definitely do not wish to be disturbed. After rudely speaking to the six, the four Wizards attack, forcing the heroes to kill them all, which they promptly do.

Outside in the street again, the six spin in circles, wondering which area to visit next, as there seems to be mainly houses in this section of the city. Kagain is all for visiting the nearby Pub rather than leaving the area, and Imoen bites her bottom lip at the thought of all the coin she could potentially procure within a crowded public house; but the wise-beyond-her-young-years Penelope says that they “have no need of going to a crowded pub at this time; thanks anyways, Kagain”.

A man named Niklos walks up to the group of six. Nikos invites them to go for a short walk and come and visit his boss, who wishes to speak with them. Next thing they know, the six are deep within the Thieves’ Guild headquarters of Baldur’s Gate. “Play it cool, you guys,” whispers Imoen to her companions. She glances warningly at Branwen. “And make sure you keep your tempers, and your manners, here in this place. The Thieves’ Guild, can we get on their good side, could be a great boon to us in this city. And they could be a great curse to us, if we piss them off; so don’t!”

they meet a thief named Narlen, who says that his boss wishes to speak to them. However, he takes them aside for a moment, and tells them that he wishes to “test” their “talents”; apparently, he wants some help breaking into a house. Penelope says she will think about it, and the six heroes step away. Imoen sidles up to Penelope. “Pen, I’d take that job, were I you. Anytime a member of the Guild wants to test you, take that as a good thing, and do what they ask.” Penelope nods her thanks.

Alatos is the guildmaster who wishes to speak to them. Alatos wishes to involve them in a matter between some Wizards, one of whom is selling plans to a flying ship which the others do not wish sold. The plans are in the possession of the three daughters of the Mage who is selling the plans.

The six adventurers head out to the Central section of Baldur’s Gate next; they zip through it and head into the North section of the city. Here, a Mage accosts them, wishing them to break into another Mage’s home and bring him the Nymph that this other Mage has captive. Penelope told him that they would think about it, as they are pretty busy right now. Kivan can barely contain himself, bristling with fury at the thought of a captured Nymph. Penelope puts a calming hand onto his shoulder.

In the North-East section of Baldur’s Gate, the six enter the Blushing Mermaid Inn. “About time”, hollers Kagain, heading straight for the bar. It is only the quick reactions of Branwen, grabbing the dwarf by the shoulder and hauling him backwards in one solid jerk (oddly enough, Kagain has often been described as “one solid jerk”), that saves his life, as the bellowing and lumbering ogre assassin tries to pound the party into little flat pancakes. The six take him out, permanently. As Imoen heads outside on her own mission, Penelope says to Kagain, “One drink, and only one. Keep your back to the wall, stay in the shadows, and keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Let’s try to get out of this town alive, shall we?”

Imoen meets up with Narlen the Thief, who goes to rob a house with Imoen acting as the lookout (“I can’t believe that my obvious skills are being wasted this way”). A Flaming Fist soldier appears, and Imoen gives the warning cry and runs off. Narlen leaps out a window and flees the house to safety.

The six go back to the Thieves’ Guild headquarters in the East section of the city, where Narlen rewards them, then asks Imoen to meet him for another task by the Blade And Stars in the South-East section of town. Meanwhile, Penelope speaks with a drunken Thief named Husam, who doesn’t like the Iron Throne much. He tells Penelope that the Iron Throne has three leaders; Reiltar Costashek, plus Brunos and Thaldorn. Also, there is Reiltar’s son, Sarevok. Husam says the Iron Throne wants to make money, and that they have plans, big plans, involving going to Candlekeep.

There is a Thief-merchant within the Thieves’ Guild. In a barrel near her, Penelope finds a hidden magical manual (tome); she gives it to Branwen, who reads it, and her dexterity score is permanently raised by one point.

Outside the Blade And Stars Inn, Narlen and Imoen break into a house, and Imoen steals the Rogue Stone, and then she goes back to the Blade And Stars to meet the other five. Not much action at the Blade And Stars that night, so they call it a night and head back to the Thieves’ Guild headquarters. There, Narlen rewards them again, with a meagre three pearls this time, and then states that as far as he is concerned the six adventurers are all part of the Guild now.

The six heroes now head to the Central section of Baldur’s Gate, to the estate of Oberon, whose three daughters guard the plans to the flying ships. Imoen goes in by herself. On the top (third) floor, the three daughters spot her and attack her, but she quickly drinks an invisibility potion and goes into the next room, where she grabs the plans for the air-ship from a drawer. She then drinks another invisibility potion and leaves the estate.

Alatos welcomes the six adventurers back to the Guild. Resar, the Wizard who hired the Thieves’ Guild for this particular job, is there, and Alatos tells him he can kill the six heroes now. Resar says that they must be silenced so they can never talk about this to anyone, and he attacks while Alatos stands by and watches. Narlen jumps in and helps Penelope and friends to kill Resar, and then he and Alatos argue over the way that the six heroes have been treated. Narlen wins the argument when he tells Alatos that, as full members of the Guild, it was wrong for him to betray the six. Penelope and companions leave the Guild, with a penitent Alatos left behind them.

Next, the mighty six go to the west section of Baldur’s Gate, and track down the home of the Mage called Ragefast, he whom has captured a nymph and keeps her held captive within the city. They enter the home, and immediately see the Mage arguing with his captive nymph, Abela. The six kill Ragefast forthwith (“Verily, he did practically fall upon my axe in his hurry to turn himself away from thy ferocious sword-thrusts, my good elf Kivan” remarked Kagain). Kivan’s smile turned to a snarl, as Penelope calmly remarked to the nymph that they were taking her and delivering her to “the Wizard called Ramazith”, and Abela shrieked in terror. Penelope grabbed Kivan’s shoulder and took him aside to speak with him, and although his rage abated somewhat after that, he still took care to walk close with the nymph as they went, as if he were her personal bodyguard.

They take the nymph and head off to the Northern section of Baldur’s Gate; entering the Tower of Ramazith, they present to him the nymph, and he amply rewards them. Ramazith tells Penelope that he will kill Abela in order to make spell components from her lifeless body parts. At this, Penelope looks at Kivan and simply says the word, “Go.” Next thing anybody knows, Ramazith’s head is on the floor, separated from the rest of his body, and Kivan is telling the shuddering nymph that she is now free, truly free; she rewards them with a lock of her hair, then leaves. The six heroes then climbed the tower, killing the monsters inhabiting each floor, until they reached the top of the tower, which they then looted of all its goodies.

Back to the Eastern section of town, for a quick rest at Silence’s place (ah, the sweet sound of silence...). Then off to Sorcerous sundries, to sell off all the stuff they have collected - all except for the magical tome that raised the intelligence of Xan by one. Xan, or has the others now jokingly refer to him as, “Brainiac Elf”.

Wanting a little fresh air, Penelope suggests they head out of the city and check out some surrounding farmland. “Heya! What a great idea, Pen!” says Imoen.

The heroes exit Baldur’s Gate. Instead of crossing the bridge over the river, they head North instead. They arrive at some farms, which the farmers say are plagued by zombies. A farmer hires them to kill the score of zombies, and they do so in short work.

Penelope leads the group back south, this time crossing the bridge and moving away from the city. They turn and head NNE, up near the home of the young Priestess of Umberlee. After being attacked by a marauding ankheg, they move past the house and continue on North to the small village of Ulgoth’s Beard, on the banks of the River Chionthar.

In the Ulgoth’s Beard Inn, a dwarf tells them that his grandpa was a friend of Durlag, of the haunted and infamously deadly Durlag’s Tower. Durlag was supposed to return his friend’s dagger, Soultaker, but never did – it is still in the haunted tower. This dwarf, Hurgan, wants the crew of six to retrieve the dagger for him. Penelope smells adventure and daring in the air, and volunteers the group for the deed. They all take a rest in the Inn.

Back outside, a gnome merchant is going out of business, and sells them all of his wares for 500 gold pieces. Included in this is a mysterious dwarven runestone, which may or may not grant them entrance into the darker and deeper portions of Durlag’s Tower...

They meet a man named Mendas in the town. He claims to be from Waterdeep, and has a strange accent. He says the Merchant League has discovered an island to the West of here, which has an old shipwreck on it. Some sailors saw the wreck, and sold maps to it to the Merchant League in Baldur’s Gate. The Merchant League wants to turn the big harbour on this island into a new stop on their shipping lanes, says Mendas. They also hope that the shipwreck is form the last (lost) voyage of Balduran, the founder of Baldur’s Gate, and that it is full of treasure. Meanwhile, Mendas says he wants to recover the ship’s logbook and any artefacts for historical purposes.

The six agree to help; Durlag’s Tower, and the Seven Suns trading company in Baldur’s Gate, will just have to wait a bit longer. Mendas says he will charter a boat, while they re-enter Baldur’s Gate and grab the Sea Charts from the Counting House in the North-East section of the city.

On the way out of Mendas’ house, a sailor named Calahan tells us that that the accent of Mendas is different than that of people who come from Waterdeep, and that Mendas has lived in Ulgoth’s Beard for a bit now but he sticks completely to himself.

A Mage named Shandalar accosts us before we can leave for the Counting House in Baldur’s Gate. This Mage teleports us to an Ice Island, saying that powerful Mages are trapped there and cannot leave, and one of them has his magic cloak and he wants it back. We go below ground on the island, and after several pitched battles with half-crazy trapped Mages (“Ah, they are all crazy, anyways, these Mages, regardless of being trapped here or not” says Kagain, to which Xan eloquently replies “We’re all doomed, anyways...”), they retrieve the cloak and are teleported back to Ulgoth’s Beard, where they return the cloak to Shandalar.

Off to Baldur’s Gate once again, they are approached by men named Marek and Lothander, employees of the Iron Throne. Marek warns them to get out of the city and not come back, that any more interference by the six will result in them “seeing much more of” Marek and Lothander...

The six go into the Counting House, slaughter the guards, and steal the Sea Charts from the captain’s bloody corpse. Xan slips in the blood on the floor and falls on his elven arse, bringing a smile to the face of Penelope, remembering Winthrop (the merchant at Candlekeep and the foster-father of Imoen) and his merry saying; “My inn is as clean as an elven arse.”

Back at Ulgoth’s Beard, they give the Sea Charts to Mendas, who says he has hired a boat and will meet them at the docks. The six heroes board the boat, Mendas wishes them a good voyage, and off they go!

Twenty days into the voyage, a bad storm arises, and the ship breaks apart. The six adventurers grab floating debris (incidentally, watching a dwarf trying to stay on a barrel is not nearly so funny when you know his life may depend on it – any other time, hilarious!)...and they wake up face down on the sand, with footprints near them...

“Well, the sun still shines, and I can hardly believe I will live to see another day!” sighs Xan.

“Should have stuck to wagon caravans,” muttered Kaigan. “Stupid boats!”

“Heya! Isn’t that a little girl over there, o fearless (but slightly damp and bedraggled) leader?” sung out the always-chipper Imoen.

Sure enough, a little girl stood not far from them. Penelope approached her and learned that her name was Solianna, and that there is a village nearby. Solianna says it was founded five generations ago, by shipwreck survivors. She talks of “mean beasties” on the island that hate the villagers, and that the six castaways should go and speak to Kaishas, who leads the village while the chieftain is away.

As they approach the village, most of the villagers refuse to speak to them. An armed man named Jorin tells them to speak to Kaishas, as well.

They speak with this Kaishas Gan, and she reveals that the villager’s ancestors were shipwrecked here long ago, and the shipwreck is still here on the island. Kagain asks if this could be Balduran’s ship, the one that they are searching for. Kaishas responds that Balduran was not known to be one of the founders of the village (strange how all the villagers have a peculiar accent...), and that their island is cursed by beasts and so it is not safe to go to the wreck site. The villagers have built a ship, so that they can leave this island, but have been cut off from it by the beasts. Kaishas asks us to help her, as the chieftain disappeared looking for help for them and never came back. The beasts are a cross between wolf and man, and are very dangerous, and the leader of the beasts is called Karoug.

Exploring the rest of the village, they meet 6 people of interest, all with stories to tell.
1. Maralee tells them that two months ago her husband was killed by the beasts and her son, three months old, taken by them. He was taken by the beasts NE of the village, and she wishes for the six newcomers to find him and return him to her.
2. A little girl, 5 years old, has lost her dolly in the woods, and wants it back.
3. Evalt, the village fisherman, says the island is fairly small. There are natural harbours to the North and to the East. The Balduran wreck, if that is what it really is, is in the North, and the ship that the villagers have built is in the East. The beasts live in the shipwreck. A witch (or a sirine) has taken Evalt’s brother, luring him away from the village, somewhere on the island’s West coast, and there is nobody who will leave the village walls to rescue him...
4. Jorin has fought the beasts, the wolves, before. He says that they can take the form of humans, but are beasts; they kill for pleasure, and for food. The younger beasts have dark brown fur, are weaker than the elders, and attack on sight. The older beasts have black fur with some slight silver colouring; they are powerful, can cast spells, live on Balduran’s wreck, and the oldest can only be injured with special, magical weapons.
5. Durlyle, a historian, says an important cloak was lost in the storm that caused the shipwreck of Penelope and companions. The cloak is from the shipwreck that brought their ancestors to this island, and is very special to the village. Would they please search beyond the village for it?
6. Lahl, the village gardener, wishes for Penelope to revenge him, as the wolf-monstrosities killed his wife.

The six head North of the village, and are met by a man named Palin who needs their help. Of course, he is one of these “wolfweres”; he leads them into a trap, where they are attacked by five of these beasts. The companions defeat them in a tough battle, and find the little girl’s lost dolly. Licking their wounds (and there are many to lick! “Never did care for wolves overly much” says the taciturn Kivan), they return to the village to return the dolly and to rest.

Travelling North (and a little West) once more the next day, they find the Sirine Queen and two more sirines and the dead body of the missing villager. They take down the evil trio, garb the loot and the corpse, and head back to the village to return the body to his brother, Evalt. Remarks Xan as they travel to the village, “Is it just me, or for such a small island is there an awful lot of Dire Wolves and other magical beings? Oh my...this can’t be good...we are so going to die here...”

In the village again, they meet another shipwrecked sailor who has since made the village his home. He tells them that Balduran and his guide, Dradeel, went missing in the battle on the island that happened not long after the shipwreck. The sailor warns them that NOTHING on this island is what it seems...”no’ ev’n me”, he says.

Exploring again, the party is ambushed by two more wolveweres. “Man, are these things ever hard to bring down!” remarks Penelope afterwards, looking at her companions’ wounds. Once again, it is back to the village to rest up and heal, then back to the North to explore yet again!

They find a shack, and inside is Dradeel, the slightly-crazed elf Magician/Cleric who was Balduran’s guide so long ago. He knows nothing of what befell Balduran, just that when they stopped at this island they discovered some of their crew were beasts in the form of men, and they were attacked and the ship set fire to.

“Wait a moment!” interrupted Branwen. “I thought the ship wrecked itself on the island!”

“No, no, no! Did I already say no? Oh, where was I? Would you like some soup? Well, you can’t have any! Oh yes; no, the ship stopped here because our supplies went bad and we were running out of food; food, food, dood, attitude. It was mainly the setting-the-ship-aflame that caused it to be all burned and such.”

Dradeel went on to explain how he fled to this shack, and has held off the beasts since with the few spells the goddess grants him as a minor Cleric. He wants Penelope to retrieve his spell-book from the shipwreck. As he goes into one of his babbling and mumbling spells that the companions have already begun to look forward to so much (not!), Imoen searches the shack’s interior, where she finds the cloak that the villagers are looking for, a magical staff/mace that Branwen claims, and two wolfsbane charms.

The six heroic figures entered the wrecked ship through a hole in the hull (“That is one hull of a hole!” cracked Imoen), and are attacked within by a wolfwere, two vampire wolves, two worgs, three dread wolves, and three dire wolves. Branwen summons some skeletons that come to life between the companions and most of the beasts, and they manage to take them all down with only a modicum of difficulty. Back to Dradeel’s shack to rest up, and then back to the wreck, to creep up the ladder to the next level!

The next level contained six wolfweres and one vampiric wolf. A fairly easy fight. They found a silver dagger here, which they believed to be the only weapon they currently have which can harm the wolfwere leader, Karoug.

Up the ladder, to the next level, which saw them face off against three wolfweres and two vampire wolves. Branwen and Xan summoned some skeletons and monsters, and the six took out the beasties, and then they all headed back to the shack to rest.

On the last (uppermost) level of the shipwreck, they find Karoug, and a Spellcaster who changes into a wolfwere. Karoug tries to convince them that the villagers are the truly evil ones on this island, but Penelope rushes him with the silver dagger outstretched before her. Karoug summons five or six more wolfweres, which are held back by the summoned skeletons and gnolls of Xan and Branwen. Kivan and Imoen begin to pick them off with arrows of ice and acid and fire, Kagain attacks the spellcaster wolf, and Xan helps to distract and annoy Karoug with his spells. Meanwhile, Branwen stands directly behind Penelope and keeps her alive with her healing spells while Ms Farhaven and the mighty Karoug go at it, Karoug in massive wolfwere form and Penelope with her slashing and stabbing silver dagger. Branwen keeps her sufficiently alive and well, and Penelope stands in triumph over the fall of the pack leader. The rest of their enemies here perish shortly thereafter. Imoen disarms a few traps, and they pick up Dradeel’s spellbook, Balduran’s Log Book, Balduran’s Butter Knife, The Sword of Balduran, the missing toddler, a magical Cloak of Protection, and a Shield Amulet.

“That’s it for Balduran’s ship, and for the lair of the wolfweres” remarked Branwen.

“About time, too” said Xan. “This place smells like wet doggies, and poop, and we are probably going to get feces all over our boots! Just you mark my words…”

They go back to Dradeel’s shack, to give him his spellbook. They give him the book, and he uses a ‘dimension door’ spell to take off from that place, without even a thank you! The tired six head back to the village; they were unable to find the boat the villagers built, as high cliffs surround the East side of the island.

Lahl, the gardener, is glad the six killed the wolfweres. He says they would make great additions to the village…only, he says “pack” instead of ‘village”, but then corrects himself. To Penelope, that is ‘worrisome’; the wheels behind her eyes begin to move faster and faster…reaching some nasty conclusions.

They next return Maralee’s son to her, for which she is very grateful. Then, the village’s ancient cloak is returned to Durlyle. Penelope tries to convince Durlyle to leave the island with them when they find a way off of it; he grows angry, says that Penelope is an animal, and he storms off.

Time to talk with Kaishas Gan again.

so...

Updating my life...

back to playing Baldur's Gate, although i have not done a lot of it this week.

back to using my writing skills, starting an all-new superhero story. I haven't got more than one chapter into the actual writing so far, but have come up with a lot of characterization and plot points. the trick for me this time will be in handling a large cast of characters. you can read all this at : http://a-cutt-above.blogspot.com/


got a chance to watch season 6 of Lost this week. not (too) ashamed to say, I cried a lot during that season. what a great show, so sad it is at an end...


can't wait for hockey season to start...


nice to see the Lions get a win, and against the mighty Alouettes, too! well, truthfully, the Als did not have their QB, so really it was more like beating a high-school team. i am not too sure that i am confidant the Lions have turned the corner yet...


it's been something of a long week, being off work. back to the grind tomorrow afternoon, tho. yay!

Transitions

.

.

.

Transitions. In life, we often go through Transition periods.



During these times, it is much like being in an airplane that is going down; things seem hectic, emotional. Stuff gets tossed about. We feel sick. We worry, about what we haven't done, and about what we have done.



Things get lost in Transition periods, never to be found again. Things get purposely left behind. People change, and come and go. We get hurt, we grow sad.



During these Transition periods, there is also a time of Faith. There must be belief that something is coming along, something different, life-altering.



I hope, and pray, that I am, right now, going through a time of Transition. Over the last few months and years, I have slowly watched pretty much everything I hold dear get washed out to sea with the tide; and I have never seen any of it again. Things have been taken from me, and some things I have had to voluntarily let go of. Doesn't matter which way it happens, by choice or not, it hurts.



If I had to sum up my past three or four years of life, I would choose the word "pain". That descriptive word would be closely followed by "loss". Throw in the word "grief", too.

I am not trying to be melodramatic here, just making a point.

So, yes, I hope and I pray that I am going through Transition. And I hope and I pray that the change, the life-altering moment, is just around the corner for me. I do not feel that I have much left to lose anymore.

Oh, I could lose some more from my life; but, it would probably result in my death, one way or another. I cannot survive on less friends, less money, less love, less direction, less comfort, or less companionship than I have right now. I am scraping the bottom of my barrel, and I do not have anything left to give or to lose.

I need Change, with a capital C. And I need it yesterday.

I need to have my life altered, for the better.

I need hope, hope that I have had trouble finding in a long time.

I need a Life.